Book 1: A red sky
by Dunmore Wolfgang
Summary: A new day, a new gun for the war. The Neuroi are a major threat and the 501st is there to fight it. Now with the newest member, Major Wolfgang, added to the team, how will it effect how the team works, and what dangers lie in wait for the 501st.
1. Chapter 1

Book 1: A red sky

Chapter 1: New Blood

The Neuroi destroyed my home on the boarder of Karlsland, on the most eastern edge. Next to Orussia, a small number, but enough to kill almost everyone and destroy an entire town.

The beams lashed down upon the land and burned every thing, it all burned. Buildings, people, and families, they all burned. I survived one of the few wizards in the world, we are so rare, but our magical prowess is above the highest point. Power so great must be focused, focused on a target, the Neuroi.

That was all 10 years ago, now I am seventeen, and I know how to fight. I moved to Liberion to live with my grandparents, once I discovered my magical power, I was sent to train to the Neuroi. Using an experimental P-51 Jet assisted striker, and a 50. Caliber HMG -Which dose require a special harness to carry into battle- I fight, I kill, I take my vengeance upon the Neuroi, focusing my powers, I grew in strength and my skills became unmatched. But, I could not always get the same power; it's as if it ran on my emotions, most likely due to it being connected to ones life force.

I am not invincible, but I am willing to give my life for others to fight. I am now on my way to the 501st JFW Strike witches in Dover, to join the rank of an elite fighting team, as recently promoted to Major, I will have to lead, and I will have to protect.

-501st base, 0700 Hours.-

As everyone worked on their usual duties as they normally would, commander Minna-Dietlinde Wilcke waited on the docks for the arrival of the newest member, she was worried about a male being among their ranks, but she was reassured that Major Wolfgang would cause no trouble.

A supply ship would be arriving within the hour to deliver him and supplies needed for the war on the Neuroi. She read his file, she worried about his mental state, and it said he witnessed his family die, burned to ash by the Neuroi.

She would have to wait to meet this person to make any final judgment, she just had to wait. The ship would be there by 7:35, it was now 7:29. Knowing the Liberion crew, it would be slightly early. Liberions had a thing for speed, so she expected it to be there any minute.

Just as she looked up from her pocket watch, the supply ship was pulling into dock. They tied it up and unloaded the cargo. But, Minna did not see this Major Wolfgang anywhere. 

There was a noise aboard the ship, two large metal doors opened on bow deck of the ship. A person in a Striker came shooting out at high speeds, the jet small jet engines on the side assisted in the take off and propelled the Striker sky high, and Minna only caught a glimpse of the pilot. The person wore a green Flak jacket and a pair of black shorts, cut shorter to the strikers; the person had a harness with a 50. Cal machine gun latched to it. Minna knew the weapon and knew of its heavy weight, the need of the harness to carry such a weapon is indeed the key to use it as a Striker pilot.

Minna watched as the pilot raced around the island and began their decent towards the hanger, she made her way there and saw a few other members of the 501st there.

The striker she saw sat in its launch device and the pilot was crouched next to it, doing maintenance, removing panels and cleaning parts. As Minna went up to him, the few member of the 501st moved back to allow the Commander to meet the new pilot.

"Your Major Wolfgang I presume, and next time you could consider entering the normal way. There are procedures you know, they exist for a reason." Minna crossed her arms a waited for a response.

I sighed and got up, came to attention and saluted, my brown hair was a high and tight, my eyes are a bright green, and my pale skin showed the scars on my face, arms and legs easier. "Major Wolfgang reporting for duty ma'm, and procedures are just so damned boring, ya' know?" I relaxed and looked to my striker, "Yeah, I'll consider the normal way next time, not my thing, but I'll try." I laughed and grinned a bit, "But admit, some procedures just get old after a while, you have to mix it up sometimes." I removed my flak jacket and tossed it on the striker; I had a white shirt underneath.

Minna shook her head and smirked, "Well, I guess not everyone can fallow orders completely, but just enough to get the job done." Minna looked behind her to see everyone had gathered to meet me. "Well, if you need, I'll be in my office doing paper work. Major Sakamoto will show you to your quarters once you've meet with every one here. Till then, enjoy your day." Minna walked out of the hanger and went to do what ever paper work she had to do.

I turned to the others and smiled. "Well then, I guess I should get to know all of you, but who to start with is the question of the moment," I chuckled a bit and looked to the left most side of the group, I saw a blond Gallian girl with glasses. "I guess I'll start here." I gave a gentle bow and smiled. "Hello, may I ask what your name is?"

The girl apparently did not expect me to be polite and she looked at me with a surprised look. She collected her self and stood all proper like any wealthy person would. "I am First lieutenant Perrine H. Clostermann. I did not expect you to be a gentleman at _all_. I guess you can't judge every book by its cover." She looked me over and pushed up her glasses. "Your accent has a mix of Karlsland and Liberion, quite the distinctive accent, identifiable from a mile away."

I grinned and chuckled. "If you think I'm a gentleman now, wait till you see me in battle, I am a monster, a true brute." I smiled, "But let's hope that dose not happen too soon, I still need to get settled in." I looked to the others and sighed, "Well, it was good meeting you Lieutenant. And never call me 'sir', it makes me feel old, my names Dunmore Wolfgang." I turned away and moved to meet the others.

The others where all different Gertrud kept getting at Erica about not using proper Karlsland procedures when addressing an officer, Charlotte -or Shirley- was just questioning me about my Striker and Francesca was just sleeping for some reason, Yoshika and Lynette were the most normal out of the group but it depends on your definition of normal. Then there was Elia and Sanya, but it was mostly Eila due to Sanya having difficulty staying awake to the night patrol she dose. Once the meet and greet was finished, I fallowed Sakamoto to my quarters.

My room was a floor below every ones rooms, it had the same things as the others and was a blank canvas waiting to be painted. So I set a picture of my family on my desk and hung up my dress uniform in the closet, it was a Liberion air core uniform instead of a Karlsland one. I put extra clothes in the dresser, once I was done; I sat down on my bed and tuned my guitar.

It was only a few minutes till an alarm started ringing across the base. Major Sakamoto came into my room and told me to report to the hanger due to a large Neuroi force attacking.

Once at the hanger, I put on my flak jacket and secured my harness before getting in my Striker, I activated it and the wolf ears and tails popped up and the Striker was ready to go. I latched the 50. Cal HMG to the harness and loaded an ammo box into it.

We took off out of the hanger in a V-formation and went north to the Neuroi's position. I flew next to Major Sakamoto and Perrine was opposite of me. When we got to the area, we saw nothing but clear sky.

I looked to Mia and turned on the ear piece. "Major, did we get bad position on the Neuroi?"

Before Mio could answer a red beam spilt apart the group and we scattered. I looked up to see two medium-type Neuroi and a small amount of drones. I pointed my weapon up and unleashed a hail of rounds. As the rounds got closer, they exploded with magical energy, and ripped apart the drones and tore chunks out of the mediums.

I grinned and laughed. "Did not expect that, now did you? You Neuroi fuck! You want to shoot at me, you going to get some hell!" I flew towards them, "Cover me; I got a present for these bastards!" I flew into the middle of the two medium-types and threw up a shield to give me some protection while I charged the ammo box. Thing is, most witches and rare wizards have their own special ability; my ability is making things explode by energizing them with magic.

Once the ammo box was charged, I put my self into a stationary spin and pulled the trigger. The 50. shook me and filled the air with the thunder of a gun storm. The rounds went all over the place around me and as I spun, they exploded, creating a vertex of explosions, tearing the Neuroi apart. After a moment, the cores were exposed and immediately hit with explosion.

The Neuroi shattered and I came to a stop in the middle of a smoke cloud. The smoke dispersed and the barrel of the 50. was slightly red due to the continuous fire. I moved back to the other, who had been fighting the drones. "Told ya' I had a hell of a present for 'em."

Mio smacked me in the back of the head. "Don't ever do that again Wolfgang, you could have gotten killed, you know that!" She was angry and not at all amused.

I smiled, "Dose it matter, if I die, I'll see my family again. Till then, I will destroy every single Neuroi I can before I die. I will take as many as I can with me!" I looked to the others. "You can keep them safe, but don't worry about me, I'll give my life for you all, and I'll be damn glad to do it." I turned and flew back towards base.

Mio hovered there, speechless. She just looked at me as I flew off and she just told the rest to head back to base. She would have to discuss this with Minna. She had to know more about Wolfgang, and to do so, she would have to ask Minna.

I had already gone to my quarters for the day and locked the door, leaving me alone with my self. I sat on my bed with the picture of my parents in my hands. I cried, tears fell onto the picture and stained it. "Here I am, did you ever think I'd be doing this? You would be so proud, only if they could have defeated the Neuroi, you might still be here. But your gone, and I'm alone, I'm fighting the Neuroi now, when we win this, I promise rebuild our home." I rested my head on my pillow and slowly drifted off to sleep.

-Commander Minna's office-

Mio stepped in the office; she tapped on the desk to get Minna's attention. "I need Wolfgang's file, I need to know what happened to his family, and his mental state is suicidal. He told me that if he could give his life for us, and he would not even give second thought. He is going to get killed, and he dose not care if he dose." Mio was serious about this, if one of her team was a possible danger to the others, she would have to fix it, or remove it.

Minna pulled open a drawer and handed Mio the file. "Read it, you'll understand why I asked for him to be put in the 501st." Minna looked at the window and a single tear rolled down her cheek. "We've all lost someone to this war, and it affects us all."

Mio read the file and understood why Dunmore acted the way he did, he watched his parents die in front of him. Vaporized by a Neuroi attack, killed right in front of him at age seven, it changed him. He had violent reactions and had trouble talking to others sometimes. He was damaged, and now Mio understood why she had Dunmore put with the 501st, because everyone in the 501st had lost something, so they all understood each other. The pain of loss is deep and damaging, it's not easily fixed, but it can be fixed some how. Friends, family, even love can fix it, that's what the 501st is, it's a family. A really messed up family though, but a family none the less.

The day went on and I never left my room, not even for dinner, they all tried to coax me out, but I wouldn't, I just didn't want to move. I just wanted to stop everything; I just wanted my family back.

Maybe I did have a family again...But I did not know what to consider a family any more. Maybe tomorrow will hold a sunny day for all and maybe the Neuroi wouldn't attack, but that's not likely, they'll attack, just like the always do.

Here at the 501st, we are the best, and we fight the Neuroi till we can't fight anymore, we expected to fight and die for the world. But are we expected to drop our emotions, just become killing machines that don't feel? There's no real answer for that, only opinions.


	2. Chapter 2

Book 1: A red sky

Chapter 3: Scars the bleed

The days rolled on, I got into the rhythm of the training and the combat patrols. I could never understand why there was such a cheerful demeanor within the 501st. I guessed it was just their way of dealing with all the stress of this damned war.

I always had nightmares, never able to sleep. I would just go into the hanger and work on my striker, it calmed me, kept me from just flying off to escape this hell, or do worse.

I had just awoken from a quick nightmare; I saw the 501st die, one by one. It had scared me, caused me to wish I was next to fall, but death never came, just the moon light through the window.

I went into the hanger like I usually did, I had to replace my fifty-caliber machine gun with a thirty-caliber due the barrel and some of the mechanisms being destroyed from an the barrel being to hot, setting off round after a fight.

I sat there at a workbench, just cleaning the weapon, I saw through the hanger door that the sun had risen and I also saw Major Sakamoto on the tarmac, practicing her sword skills. Sakamoto's shields have grown slightly weaker, I might be the only one who noticed but I saw her shield crack shortly after being struck by a Neuroi beam.

She had entered the hanger while I was lost in thought. She called my name, and I looked over to see her standing near her own striker. "Wolfgang, up early again I see, or, was it the nightmares."

I put the wrench I was using down. "Kind of obvious, huh? I mean, nightmares are a norm with me, always had them, especially when I get some where new. Dreams of that new place and the people with it being destroyed, keeps me up some nights. But, I deal with it and get extra sleep in when I can."

Sakamoto's expression showed how serious she was. "If this keeps you form being one-hundred percent in battle, I'll have to ground you till we get this squared away. Got it?"

I out the tools away and loaded ammunition into the 501st weapons before returning my attention to Sakamoto. "Well, it won't because I can handle it, so drop your concern about me and let me handle my job as a soldier. If I get killed, that's my own damned fault. We have a training battle to do, the 501st versus me. Hurry up and wake everyone up, we will begin soon. Don't worry about Elia or Sanya; I know that they do the night patrols. No need for them to be woken up and waste their time, when they can rest." I went back to work till everyone gathered in the hanger. Sakamoto asked me again if I remembered any thing about my home. "Well, I remember the fire, the red streaks from the Neuroi attacks. The smell of burning flesh, the scattered bodies, the Neuroi above. The witches that came once my home was dust, why might you ask, because we were a border town, high risk. Maybe it was just our bad luck to be attack and killed off, to have our families burned alive, or just maybe it was just our time to be destroyed by the Neuroi."

I pulled a map of the area and I explained the battle details. It would be Barkhorn, Hartmann, Yoshika, Lynette, Shirley, Perrine, and Lucchini versus me. Minna and Mio would stay on the ground and track the progress.

As I took off, I thought about what I had said, what they might of thought of it, but they shouldn't care, no one should.

Once we got into the air, I used my jets to give me a quick boost into the clouds. I stayed within the cloud so not to be in the open. I heard the sound of engines below me, time to test my new weapon.

I dived down, spraying through the clouds. As I came through, I saw Shirley, Lynette, and Lucchini covered in the yellow paint from the practice rounds.

I was surprised I had hit anything at all; I looked behind me to see the remaining four chasing me, lining up their sights.

I used my jets yet again to boost me into the clouds yet again. I stayed on the surface while the four flew right over me.

I went behind them and fired a few bursts before dipping back into the clouds. I saw Yoshika withdraw from the combat area with yellow paint on her strikers.

I went above the trees and dipped under them, I stopped under some foliage while they flew right over me yet again, do they ever learn?

I flew back up and only saw Perrine when I emerged, I did not see Barkhorn or Hartmann anywhere.

A trap and I fell right into it. I looked up to see Gertrud and Hartmann diving directly down at me.

I decided to fly directly at them while firing bursts, while they went full-auto. We passed each other, not landing a single hit.

Perrine and Hartmann were directly behind me, and Barkhorn was behind them. I cut my engines and dropped between them, as I did, I fired on Perrine and Hartmann. I landed a few shots on Perrine and misses Hartmann.

I boosted with my jets over the ocean, creating a spray of water to cover my direction. I went back up into the clouds with Barkhorn and Hartmann on my tail.

They got next to me and took aim, I did a sharp flip around and opened fire, and they returned fire. We all ended up hitting each other, which annoyed Barkhorn, and Hartmann just laughed.

We made our way back to base and I went into detail on the maneuvers and mistakes that were done, and then instructed everyone to go wash up.

I cleaned off my striker and Barkhorn threw a pair of boxing gloves at my head. "Alright Wolfgang, let's see how good you are with close combat."

I slipped on the gloves and cracked my neck. "You're on Barkhorn, but, we will need somewhere to have this little fight." We made our way to an outside boxing ring; everyone was present, with exception of the night patrol. Even some crew of the ship that was in dock.

I grinned. "Alright Barkhorn, all out war, no holding back short to killing each other. Agreed?"

Barkhorn entered fighting stance and I did the same, a bell rung out, signaling the fight to start.

Barkhorn went for the first hit, but I blocked it easily, but to only get a left hook to the gut which sent me to the ground.

I got up and charged forward and hit her with a magic enhanced upper cut, sending her out of the ring. "Come on! You gotta do better then that Barkhorn!"

I regretted those words as Barkhorn hit me with a full on magic enhanced jab to the gut, sending me into the seats. I spit out a bit of blood and grinned. "Let's make this one hell of a show."

I got back in and we started trading hits, I would hit, she would block. She would hit, I would block. We both went for magic enhanced punches, but they collided and blew s both back.

The bell rung, the fight had ended in a tie. "Well Barkhorn, that's what I all a fight!" I got up, tossing the gloves into the ring. "Let's leave it at that for now, rematch another day, deal?"

Barkhorn gave a sore salute. "Anytime sir." She walked off, I guessed to the baths to wash off the sweat and bit off blood.

We both had a few bruises, and possible broken bones, but combat injuries are normal in the line of duty, in training or not.

I went to the training room and worked on my punched with the punching bag, but instead of the normal sand, I inserted thin metal plating into the bag.

I noticed Sakamoto enter the room, I paused and looked to her. "What do you need Major? If it's not important, then I'd like to get back to work."

Sakamoto noticed the red flakes on the bag, she knew it was blood. "Punching metal plates is a good way to break your hands Wolfgang, I would advise against it. We need you in top fighting form at all times. Not broken."

I wrapped my knuckles in bandaging and grabbed a towel and water bottle. "I think it helps and I'll keep your advisement in my head if I ever need to consider fallowing it." I wiped the bag off and removed the plates. "It helps reminds me what I'm fighting, reminds me that I'm alive." I went to leave the room, but stopped at the door. "Just tell me when there's Neuroi around, I'm itching for a fight. Fighting your own team can be fun, but I want to play with death. Bit more of a challenge if you will." I left the room and headed to a small bathing area made for any male visiting crew.

I went to my room and started on some paperwork, as I worked, day turn to night. I heard a knock at my door. "Who is it? I'm quite busy at this moment."

"Well then, be rude." It was Perrine, "Just here to tell you that dinner is ready, no need to be so rude about it." I heard an 'humph' and rolled my eyes.

I slightly opened the door to see Perrine standing there with her arms crossed. "Maybe, if you all would just caring about me, and not bother me while I fucking work. I might not be so damn rude, think about it." I slammed the door and went back to work.

I tried to focus on the work but just found my mind wondering back to the base I was at before I got here. I pulled out two pictures from my desk.

One showed me getting a tub of water being dumped on me by a group of witches. It was a hot summer, and Langley was shut down for some large work to the water system. They were like a family to me; it was difficult to socialize after leaving Karlsland, my home.

But, they got me out of shell of loneliness and depression, as cliché as it sounds. They treated me like a brother; the younger ones there treated me like a big brother, always coming to me when the commander got mad for them messing around.

The other one was a group shot of the Liberion witches and me before I left. I remember one of the younger ones begged for me not to go, but I had to go, so I promised I'd write letters and even visit when I could.

A family indeed, but, it's hard to just readjust your life to a different group of people. You don't know them, and they really don't know you. So I just put a facade on and tough it out.

I got up from the desk and put the pictures in my pocket. I made my way to the dinning room and sat down next to the others. Normally I would sit at the far side of the table, alone. But, I decided, maybe I should open up, not completely, but a little bit would be good.

I noticed everyone looking at me, "What? Can't I sit with the rest of my team? I mean, If ya' want me back over to my normal spot; I can just grab a plate and go. I mean-" I was interrupted by Lucchini, who grabbed the back of my collar.

She had a serious look on her face, "You're not going anywhere, you are sitting right there and staying there. No questions!"

I raised my arms in defeat. "Alright, I surrender; I guess I'll be your prisoner." I had a small smile on my face, a real smile, not a fake one.

I looked to Perrine, "I'd like to apologize for how rude I was to you. So, I am most sorry for being so rude."

Perrine had a slight blush. "R-Right, yes, your apology is accepted."

I grabbed a plate of what was being served. It seemed to be a sweetened meat inside a sweet roll of some sort. I took I bite, paused, and gobbled the rest. "These are delicious, I must have more." I took one from Perrine, "If you don't mind, I'll take that."

Perrine tried to take it back from me, yet Hartmann took it from me, Perrine reached over the table. "Give that back! It was on my plate, and this is extremely rude."

Lucchini took the meat-roll and gobbled it. Hartmann and Perrine looked at her, both with their own annoyed look.

I began to laugh, which surprised everyone. It was not an obvious fake laugh, or one of victory, but of complete hilarity and amusement.

I took the two pictures and put them on the table. "That's my pervious family, from Langley military base. Good times, like now for example." I sighed and smiled gently. "I thought about how I've been acting for the past few days and what I've said. I just felt like an outcast, I don't know why, but...I just felt like I didn't fit here, as if I would never have the feeling of family again. But, I realized I was wrong, I have another family here, with the 501st." hey all had their own smiles and Lucchini hugged me from behind, squeezing the air out of me.

I took out one of the meat-rolls. "Who wants the last sweet meat-roll?" Lucchini grabbed it and ran off. Shirley, Yoshika, Hartmann, and Perrine all chased after her.

I sat still with a cheeky grin on my face. Minna noticed this. "What's with the grin Wolfgang, why are you chasing them as well?"

I took out a plate from under the table; it had all the meat-rolls on it. "Because, I got the sweet meat-rolls right here, more for us while they run about." Sakamoto looked to her plate to notice her three rolls missing.

"How is that possible?! I demand to know Wolfgang!" She looked to me with a determined expression.

I laughed and ate a roll. "Well Mio, it's an old wolf secret, am I right Minna?"

Minna lightly laughed. "Indeed Major Wolfgang, very old wolf secret, sorry Mio, I can't divulge that secret."

Mio deflated and accepted defeat by taking four rolls form the pile on the plate. Lynette had also left to chase the others, mostly to make sure no one got hurt.

I had a good feeling, like I would be able to get through this war with another family, the 501st. It feels like a good home, great view of the war, I'm right on the front. But, I was thinking of how to keep the others from kicking my ass for hiding the sweet meat-rolls.

It was going to be a long night, now, to make sure night patrol get's some of these rolls.

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There you have it, chapter 2, and now I will be putting this story on hiatus, due to having major writers block with it, took me a while just to get this. See you all next time!


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